Finding Location-Independent Jobs for Recent Grads

I sincerely hope that at some point this summer you’ve had a chance to dip your toes into some cool waters, or to sip a wonderful, colorful drink (little umbrella optional, of course). After all, you’ve graduated! You deserve some time to celebrate, to relax, and to reflect on your achievement. You’re no doubt aware that you have entered “The Real World” (population: many), with all of its obligations and potential.

Speaking of that, the job search has likely been on your mind for months, if not whole semesters now. I’d bet that it’s been a central topic in conversations with your parents and probably your friends, too.

What if your search is ongoing? Perhaps you’re exploring a different direction for your first job after college.

You’ve got more options than past generations—that’s for sure. Remote work is one of them, and you can set yourself up for success even if you’re seeking your first remote role in location-independent jobs.

Workin’ 9 to 5

As a younger millennial, you might not recall the 80s Dolly Parton hit about working 9 to 5, but the phrase is likely familiar. You might even agree with the song’s second line: What a way to make a living!

I’m on board with you there. The thought of spending a set number of hours in a sedentary environment beneath fluorescent lighting didn’t appeal to me, although I did work in an office for six years. Yep, that’s right: six years of commuting, office politics, frequent meetings and interruptions, occasional trips to the restroom, and allotted time for lunch.

Naturally, there were a number of advantages—who doesn’t enjoy collaborating on cool projects or meeting interesting new people? But these were outweighed by the many inconveniences.

I tested the waters of remote work in 2013, went full-time remote in early 2014, and haven’t looked back since. On the days when I miss being around people, I simply stop in to a local coffee shop or explore new coworking spots—both of which are way more inspiring spaces than most offices.

Location-Independent Jobs: The Future of Work?

You and I are lucky. Gone are the days when remote work opportunities were synonymous with ho-hum, dead-end jobs, or worse, work-from-home scams. You might share the opinions of a majority of recent graduates surveyed, who said that they’d like to work for a company that offered opportunities to work remotely.

If so, a variety of entry-level remote jobs exist for grads in a diverse set of fields, such as:

journalism and communications
nutrition, nursing, and health professions
graphic & web design
user experience

Here on Remote.co we often list entry level remote jobs in each of our remote job categories. Recently featured jobs include:

teaching and tutoring
writing
customer service

Perhaps you have a remote internship or two under your belt, or maybe not; regardless, you can still show employers that you have what it takes to be productive outside of an office setting.

You could decide to try your luck in an entirely new location, either domestically or overseas. With remote work, you’ll have a secure position that supports you no matter where you call home. Nowadays you can even design your own remote adventure that takes you to places you’ve been meaning to go (see this helpful checklist to get you started).

The bottom line? Working doesn’t have to get in the way of your life; working on your own terms can be an interesting new way of life.

Not sure what kind of remote worker you’d like to be? Take our quiz to find out. (And don’t forget to tell us where you stand.)

Are you looking for location-independent jobs? It’s a big world out there, full of opportunity for highly trained, talented new grads like yourself. What are you waiting for?